Three-panel projection display apparatus for displaying color images

ABSTRACT

A three-panel projection display apparatus displays a color image by separating light emitted from a light source into lights of three primaries, i.e., red, green, and blue, with dichroic mirrors, by irradiating liquid crystal light valves with the respective separated lights, by combining the lights modulated by the respective modulating means with a cross dichroic prism, and by projecting the combined light through a single projection lens onto a screen. The lengths of the light paths for the separated blue and green lights are equal to each other. The distance between a condenser lens and the liquid crystal light valve in the blue light path is shorter than the distance between a condenser lens and the liquid crystal light valve in the green light path.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a three-panel projection displayapparatus, and more particularly to a projection display apparatus fordisplaying a color image by separating light emitted from a light sourceinto lights of three primaries, i.e., red, green, and blue, with colorseparating optical systems, by irradiating three modulating means withthe separated lights, by combining the lights modulated by therespective modulating means with a color combining optical system, andby projecting the combined light through a single projection lens onto ascreen.

2. Description of the Related Art

The optical systems of three-panel projection display apparatus, as theyare applied to liquid crystal projectors, will be described below.

FIG. 1 of the accompanying drawings shows a conventional liquid crystalprojector for projecting a color image onto a screen. As shown in FIG.1, light emitted from light source 1 is reflected by reflecting mirror 2and directed, as illuminating light having a uniform luminancedistribution through two integra-tor lenses 4, 5 and first collectivelens 7, toward a liquid crystal light valve that serves as a modulatingmeans. Before the light is applied to first collective lens 7, it isconverted into S-polarized light by polarization converter 6 accordingto polarization separation and polarization conversion.

White light that has passed through first collective lens 7 is separatedinto blue light B and green red light G-R by dichroic mirror 8 thatserves as a first color separating optical system for reflecting bluelight and passing red and green lights. The green red light G·R that haspassed through dichroic mirror 8 is separated into green light G and redlight R by second dichroic mirror 9 that serves as a second colorseparating optical system for reflecting green and blue lights andtransmitting red light.

The blue right B separated by dichroic mirror 8 is reflected byreflecting mirror 10 and passes through condenser lens 13A to liquidcrystal light valve 15A. The green light G separated by dichroic mirror9 passes through condenser lens 13B to liquid crystal light valve 15B.The red light R separated by dichroic mirror 9 is applied to liquidcrystal light valve 15C by a relay optical system comprising two relaylenses 17, 18 and two reflecting lenses 11, 12, and condenser lens 13.

Liquid crystal valves 15A, 15B, 15C, which correspond to the blue,green, and red lights, respectively, are combined with polarizing panels14A, 14B, 14C that are positioned on the entrance sides of liquidcrystal valves 15A, 15B, 15C, respectively, and polarizing panels 16A,16B, 16C that are positioned on the exit sides of liquid crystal valves15A, 15B, 15C, respectively. These polarizing plates serve to align theplanes of polarization of the polarized lights that are modulated by theliquid crystal valves. The polarizing panels on the entrance sides andthe polarizing panels on the exit sides are angularly arranged such thattheir transmission axes extend perpendicularly to each other. Onlylights that are polarized in a direction parallel to the transmissionaxis of the polarizing panels on the exit sides pass through thepolarizing panels on the exit sides, and lights that are polarized inother directions are absorbed by the polarizing panels on the exitsides. The lights that are applied to liquid crystal valves 15A, 15B,15C are modulated thereby, and the modulated lights are combined witheach other by cross dichroic prism 19 that serves as a color combiningoptical system. The combined light is then projected at an enlargedscale onto projection screen 21 by projection lens 20.

Condenser lenses 13A, 13B that are disposed respectively in blue andgreen light paths, which are of the same length, are identical to eachother. Distance b between condenser lens 13A in the blue light path andliquid crystal light valve 15A is the same as distance a betweencondenser lens 13B in the green light path and liquid crystal lightvalve 15B.

FIG. 2 of the accompanying drawings shows another conventional liquidcrystal projector having an optical system wherein second collectivelens 31A is disposed in the blue light path between dichroic mirror 8and reflecting mirror 10 and second collective lens 31B is disposed inthe green light path between two dichroic mirrors 8, 9. Secondcollective lenses 31A, 31B that are disposed respectively in the blueand green light paths, which are of the same length, are identical toeach other. Second collective lenses 31A, 31B are positioned at the samedistance respectively from liquid crystal light valves 15A, 15B in therespective light paths. Specifically, the light path length (e+f) fromliquid crystal light valve 15A via reflecting mirror 10 to secondcollective lens 31A in the blue light path is the same as the light pathlength (c+d) from liquid crystal light valve 15B via dichroic mirror 9to second collective lens 31B in the green light path.

In the liquid crystal projectors described above, the effective pixelregions of the liquid crystal light valves are uniformly illuminated byan integrator illuminating system that comprises two integrator lenses(fly-eye lenses) 4, 5 and collective lens 7. There is also known aprojection display apparatus incorporating a rod lens illuminatingsystem, rather than an integrator illuminating system, which comprises arod lens and two collective lenses for illuminating liquid crystal lightvalves with lights having a uniform luminance distribution.

With the cross dichroic prism being used as described above, only one ofthe distances (light path lengths) from the collective lenses to theliquid crystal light valves in the respective light paths is longer thanthe other distances. In the liquid crystal projectors shown in FIGS. 1and 2, the distances from the collective lenses to the liquid crystallight valves in the blue and green light paths are the same as eachother, but the distance from the collective lens to the liquid crystallight valve in the red light path is longer than the correspondingdistances in the blue and green light paths. Therefore, the amount oflight applied to the liquid crystal light valve in the red light path issmaller than the amounts of light applied to the liquid crystal lightvalves in the blue and green light paths. The relay optical system thatinclude relay lenses 17, 18 is disposed in the red light path for thepurpose of uniformizing the amounts of light applied to the respectiveliquid crystal light valves in the red, blue, and green light paths. Thetype of the projection display apparatus which employs the relay opticalsystem in the red light path is referred to as a red relay type, and thethree-panel liquid crystal projectors shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 are of thered relay type.

If dichroic mirror 8 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 is replaced with a componentfor reflecting red light and passing green and blue lights and dichroicmirror 9 is replaced with a component for reflecting green and redlights and transmitting blue light, then the distance from thecollective lens to the liquid crystal light valve in the blue light pathis longer than the distances from the collective lenses to the liquidcrystal light valves in the red and green light paths. In thisarrangement, the relay optical system is employed in the blue lightpath, and this type is referred to as a blue relay type.

In the projection display apparatus such as the liquid crystalprojectors described above, the liquid crystal light valves haverespective image forming areas smaller than the areas thereof that areilluminated by the light emitted from the light source. The imageforming areas that are smaller than the illuminated areas are preventedfrom protruding out of the illuminated areas even if the illuminatedareas are vertically or horizontally shifted due to errors with respectto the positioning accuracy and focal lengths of the integrator lenses.Such an area setting allows the image forming areas of the liquidcrystal light valves to be accurately illuminated by the light emittedfrom the light source.

However, if the illuminated areas are too large compared with the imageforming areas, then the image projected onto the projection screen willnot have sufficient brightness. If the illuminated areas are of the samesize as the image forming areas, then when the components of theintegrator illuminating system suffer an error, the illuminated areatends to be shifted out of alignment with the image forming areas,possibly producing a shaded region on an edge of the projected image.

One solution to the above problems is provided by a process disclosed inJapanese laid-open patent publication No. 115799/1998.

According to the process disclosed in Japanese laid-open patentpublication No. 115799/1998, the positions of integrator lenses, theposition of the first collective lens, and the angles of the reflectingmirrors can be fine-adjusted for adjusting the illuminated areas in therespective light paths out of misalignment. The disclosed process makesit unnecessary to set wide margins around the image forming areas of thelight crystal light valves in view of possible displacements of theilluminated areas. As any margins to be set around the image formingareas may be very small, the illuminating light can be utilizedefficiently and the brightness of projected images is increased. Eventhough the margins around the image forming areas are small, since thepositions of integrator lenses, the position of the first collectivelens, and the angles of the reflecting mirrors can be fine-adjusted, theimage forming areas will not protrude partly out of the illuminatedareas and no shaded region will be formed on an edge of the projectedimage.

According to the process disclosed in Japanese laid-open patentpublication No. 115799/1998, however, the illuminated areas in therespective light paths are adjusted out of misalignment simply byfine-adjusting the positions of integrator lenses, the position of thefirst collective lens, and the angles of the reflecting mirrors. Even ifthe process disclosed in Japanese laid-open patent publication No.115799/1998 is applied to the red relay type shown in FIGS. 1 and 2where the distance from the collective lens to the liquid crystal lightvalve in the red light path is longer than the corresponding distancesin the blue and green light paths, the illuminated area in the bluelight path is not clearly defined and is smaller than the illuminatedarea in the green light path. If the liquid crystal projector isdesigned in accordance with the illuminated area in the blue light path,then the illuminated area in the green light path will become largerthan necessary, resulting in a reduction in the brightness of theprojected image.

The reasons for the above problem are as follows: As regards the redrelay type shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, since the refractive indexes of glassmaterials of the polarizing plates with respect to the wavelengths oflights used differ widely from each other in the green and blue lightpaths whose light path lengths up to the light valves are equal to eachother, even if the illuminated area in the green light path have sharplydefined edges, the illuminated area in the blue light path is blurreddue to a different axial chromatic aberration, resulting in a reducedeffective illuminated area.

Regarding the blue relay type, since the refractive indexes of glassmaterials of the polarizing plates with respect to the wavelengths oflights used are close to each other in the red and green light pathswhose light path lengths up to the light valves are equal to each other,there is no large difference between the distributions of the amounts oflight on the illuminated areas in the red and green light paths. A relayoptical system having different light path lengths is free from theproblems of the red relay type because it is possible to increase or toreduce design values of the illuminated areas based on the layout oflenses, and also to reduce aberrations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the present invention to provide a three-panelprojection display apparatus of the red relay type which is capable offorming an illuminated area in a blur-free rectangular shape in a bluelight path without the need for making an illuminated area in a greenlight path larger than necessary with respect to an image forming area.

According to the present invention, there is provided a threepanelprojection display apparatus for displaying a color image by separatinglight emitted from a light source into lights of three primaries, i.e.,red, green, and blue, with color separating optical systems, byirradiating three modulating means with the separated lights, bycombining the lights modulated by the respective modulating means with acolor combining optical system, and by projecting the combined lightthrough a single projection lens onto a screen, the lengths of lightpaths for the separated blue and green lights being equal to each other.

The three-panel projection display apparatus has lenses disposedrespectively in the blue and green light paths for forming illuminatedareas on the respective modulating means, and the distance from the lensto the modulating means in the blue light path is shorter than thedistance from the lens to the modulating means in the green light path.

Alternatively, the three-panel projection display apparatus has lensesdisposed respectively in the blue and green light paths for formingillu- minated areas on the respective modulating means, and the distancefrom the lens to the modulating means in the blue light path is equal tothe distance from the lens to the modulating means in the green lightpath, with the lens in the blue light path having a radius of curvaturelarger than the lens in the green light path.

With the above arrangement, since the refractive indexes of glassmaterials with respect to the wavelengths of lights used widely differfrom each other in the green and blue light paths, of the three lightpaths, i.e., the blue, green, and red light paths, from the colorseparating optical systems to the corresponding modulating means, widelydifferent chromatic aberrations are developed, resulting in differentfocused positions with respect to the modu- lating means. However, sucha focused position difference can be corrected by placing the lenses indifferent positions in the green and blue light paths. An illuminatedarea on the modulating means in the green light path can be set to aminimum size with respect to the effective area (image forming area) ofthe modulating means in the green light path, and an illuminated area onthe modu- lating means in the blue light path can be illuminated in ablur-free shape.

The above and other objects, features, and advantages of the presentinvention will become apparent from the following description withreference to the accompanying drawings which illustrate examples of thepresent invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a schematic view of a conventional three-panel projec- tiondisplay apparatus of the red relay type;

FIG. 2 is a schematic view of another conventional three-panelprojection display apparatus of the red relay type;

FIG. 3 is a schematic view showing a central portion of a three-panelprojection display apparatus of the red relay type according to a firstembodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a schematic view showing a central portion of a three-panelprojection display apparatus of the red relay type according to a secondembodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a schematic view showing a central portion of a three-panelprojection display apparatus of the red relay type according to a thirdembodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 6 is a schematic view showing a central portion of a three-panelprojection display apparatus of the red relay type according to a fourthembodiment of the present invention; and

FIG. 7 is a schematic view showing a central portion of a modificationof the three-panel projection display apparatus of the red relay typeaccording to a fourth embodiment of the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Liquid crystal projectors having three panels in the form of liquidcrystal light valves will be described below as a three-panel projectiondisplay apparatus of the red relay type according to various embodimentsof the present invention. However, the principles of the presentinvention are not limited to the illustrated liquid crystal projectors,but are also applicable to projection display apparatuses employingmicromirror devices.

Those parts shown in FIGS. 3 through 7 which are identical to those ofthe three-panel projection display apparatus shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 aredenoted by identical reference characters. Features of the three-panelprojection display apparatus shown in FIGS. 3 through 7 which aredifferent from the three-panel projection display apparatus shown inFIGS. 1 and 2 will mainly be described below.

A three-panel projection display apparatus of the red relay typeaccording to a first embodiment of the present invention will bedescribed below with reference to FIG. 3.

As shown in FIG. 3, the distance between condenser lens 13B and liquidcrystal light valve 15B in the green light path is represented by “a”,and the distance between condenser lens 13A and liquid crystal lightvalve 15A in the blue light path is represented by “b”. These distances“a”, “b” satisfy the following formula:a [mm]≧b [mm]+2 [mm]

That is, the distance “b” is 2 mm or more shorter than the distance “a”.

By optimally designing an illuminated area on liquid crystal light valve15B thus positioned, the illuminated area in the green light path is notmade larger than necessary, and the illuminated area in the blue lightpath is illuminated in a blur-free rectangular shape in the blue lightpath.

A three-panel projection display apparatus of the red relay typeaccording to a second embodiment of the present invention will bedescribed below with reference to FIG. 4.

As shown in FIG. 4, the three-panel projection display apparatus of thered relay type according to the second embodiment has an optical systemsimilar to the optical system of the three-panel projection displayapparatus of the red relay type according to the first embodiment;except that second collective lens 31A is disposed between dichroicmirror 8 and reflecting mirror 10 and second collective lens 31B isdisposed between dichroic mirrors 8, 9.

The distance from liquid crystal light valve 15B via dichroic mirror 9to second collective lens 31B in the green light path is represented by“c+d”, and the distance from liquid crystal light valve 15A viareflecting mirror 10 to second collective lens 31A in the blue lightpath is represented by “e+f”. These distances “c+d”, “e+f” satisfy thefollowing formula:(c+d)[mm]≧(e+f)[mm]+2 [mm]

That is, the distance “e+f” is 2 mm or more shorter than the distance“c+d”. The three-panel projection display apparatus of the red relaytype according to the second embodiment offers the same advantages asthe three-panel projection display apparatus of the red relay typeaccording to the first embodiment.

A three-panel projection display apparatus of the red relay typeaccording to a third embodiment of the present invention will bedescribed below with reference to FIG. 5.

The three-panel projection display apparatus of the red relay typeaccording to the third embodiment is a modification of the three-panelprojection display apparatus of the red relay type according to thefirst embodiment. As shown in FIG. 5, the distance between condenserlens 13B and liquid crystal light valve 15B in the green light path isrepresented by “a”, and the distance between condenser lens 13A andliquid crystal light valve 15A in the blue light path is represented by“b”. These distances “a”, “b” satisfy the following formula:a [mm]≈b [mm]

In addition, the radius of curvature of condenser lens 13A in the bluelight path is larger than the radius of curvature of condenser lens 13Bin the green light path. For example, if the condenser lenses are madeof BK7, then the radius, represented by “Rb”, of curvature of condenserlens 13B in the green light path, and the radius, represented by “Ra” ofcurvature of condenser lens 13A in the blue light path, satisfy thefollowing formula:1.4Rb [mm]≧Ra [mm]≧1.2Rb [mm]

The three-panel projection display apparatus of the red relay typeaccording to the third embodiment offers the same advantages as thethree-panel projection display apparatus of the red relay type accordingto the first embodiment.

The positions of the light valves will be described below.

Focused positions of the projection lens for the respective light pathsdiffer from each other because the projection lens has different axialchromatic aberrations for R, G, B lights and the polarizing plates onthe exit sides in the respective light paths are made of different glasssubstrate materials and have different thicknesses. Therefore, thedistances “a”, “b” are not strictly made equal to each other. In thethree-panel projection display apparatus, the projection lens has anaxial chromatic aberration up to 0.15 mm. The glass substrate materialsof the polarizing plates on the exit sides range from a glass materialhaving a refractive index of about 1.5, such as white sheet glass orblue sheet glass, to a glass material having a refractive index of about1.8, such as sintered ceramic glass, and the glass substrates of thepolarizing plates on the exit sides range from 2 mm to about 0.5 mm. Inview of the glass substrate materials and thicknesses, the positions ofthe light valves in the respective light paths differ by about 0.75 mm.Putting the above two factors together, if the positions of the lightvalves in the respective light paths differ by 0.9 mm or less, thentheir positions may be regarded as being substantially the same as eachother. The distances “a”, “b” which satisfy the following formula:|a [mm]−b[mm]≦|0.9 [mm]are regarded as satisfying the following formula:a [mm]≈b [mm]

A three-panel projection display apparatus of the red relay typeaccording to a fourth embodiment of the present invention will bedescribed below with reference to FIG. 6.

As shown in FIG. 6, the three-panel projection display apparatus of thered relay type according to the fourth embodiment includes secondcollective lens 31A and second collective lens 31B as with thethree-panel projection display apparatus of the red relay type accordingto the second embodiment. According to the fourth embodiment,furthermore, the distance from liquid crystal light valve 15B viadichroic mirror 9 to second collective lens 31B in the green light pathis represented by “a” (=c+d), and the distance from liquid crystal lightvalve 15A via reflecting mirror 10 to second collective lens 31A in theblue light path by is represented by “b” (=e+f). These distances “a”,“b” satisfy the following formula:a [mm]≈b [mm]In addition, the radius of curvature of condenser lens 13A in the bluelight path is larger than the radius of curvature of condenser lens 13Bin the green light path. For example, if the condenser lenses are madeof BK7, then the radius, represented by “Rb”, of curvature of condenserlens 13B in the green light path, and the radius, represented by “Ra” ofcurvature of condenser lens 13A in the blue light path, satisfy thefollowing formula:1.4Rb [mm]≧Ra [mm]≧1.2Rb [mm]

The three-panel projection display apparatus of the red relay typeaccording to the fourth embodiment offers the same advantages as thethree-panel projection display apparatus of the red relay type accordingto the first embodiment.

In the modification of the three-panel projection display apparatus ofthe red relay type according to the fourth embodiment, as shown in FIG.7, the radiuses of curvature of condenser lenses 13A, 13B are equal toeach other, and the radius of curvature of second collective lens 31A inthe blue light path may be larger than the radius of curvature of secondcollective lens 31B in the green light path.

If the radius of curvature of second collective lens 31B in the greenlight path is represented by “Rb2” and the radius of curvature of secondcollective lens 31A in the blue light path is represented by “Ra2”, thenthese radiuses of curvature satisfy the following formula:1.3Rb2 [mm]≧Ra2 [mm]≧1.1Rb2 [mm]

The modification of the three-panel projection display apparatus of thered relay type according to the fourth embodiment offers the sameadvantages as the three-panel projection display apparatus of the redrelay type according to the first embodiment.

With a projection display apparatus (not shown) which employs a TIR(Total Internal Reflection) prism instead of cross dichroic prism 19,the three light paths, i.e., the blue, green, and red light paths, havethe same light path length. In such a projection display apparatus, thecondenser lenses in the blue and green light paths are positioned in thesame manner as in with the first and third embodiments, providing thesame advantages as the three-panel projection display apparatus of thered relay type according to the first embodiment.

While preferred embodiments of the present invention have been describedusing specific terms, such description is for illustrative purposesonly, and it is to be understood that changes and variations may be madewithout departing from the spirit or scope of the following claims.

1. A projection display apparatus comprising: a light source foremitting white light; a first color separating optical system forreflecting blue light and passing green light and red light from thewhite light emitted from said light source; a second color separatingoptical system for reflecting the green light and passing the red lightfrom the green light and the red light which have passed through saidfirst color separating optical system; first modulating means formodulating the blue light reflected by said first color separatingoptical system; second modulating means for modulating the green lightreflected by said second color separating optical system; thirdmodulating means for modulating the red light having passed through saidsecond color separating optical system; a color combining optical systemfor combining the blue light, the green light, and the red light whichhave been modulated by said first modulating means, said secondmodulating means, and said third modulating means, respectively; a firstlens disposed in a blue light path between said first color separatingoptical system and said first modulating means; and a second lensdisposed in a green light path between said second color separatingoptical system and said second modulating means; wherein a length of theblue light path from said first color separating optical system to saidfirst modulating means is equal to the length of the green light pathfrom said second color separating optical system to said secondmodulating means; wherein a distance between said first lens and saidfirst modulating means in the blue light path is shorter than thedistance between said second lens and said second modulating means inthe green light path.
 2. A projection display apparatus comprising: alight source for emitting white light; a first color separating opticalsystem for reflecting blue light and passing green light and red lightfrom the white light emitted from said light source; a second colorseparating optical system for reflecting the green light and passing thered light from the green light and the red light which have passedthrough said first color separating optical system; first modulatingmeans for modulating the blue light reflected by said first colorseparating optical system; second modulating means for modulating thegreen light reflected by said second color separating optical system;third modulating means for modulating the red light having passedthrough said second color separating optical system; a color combiningoptical system for combining the blue light, the green light, and thered light which have been modulated by said first modulating means, saidsecond modulating means, and said third modulating means, respectively;a first lens disposed in a blue light path between said first colorseparating optical system and said first modulating means; and a secondlens disposed in a green light path between said second color separatingoptical system and said second modulating means; wherein a length of theblue light path from said first color separating optical system to saidfirst modulating means is equal to the length of the green light pathfrom said second color separating optical system to said secondmodulating means; wherein a distance between said first lens and saidfirst modulating means in the blue light path is equal to the distancebetween said second lens and said second modulating means in the greenlight path, and the radius of curvature of said first lens in the bluelight path is larger than the radius of curvature of said second lens inthe green light path.